While this book is a little too slow for my taste, I can see the appeal for this book for other readers. I wouldn't call this book a thriller but hey, I'm just a librarian who loves to read. This authors books are a hit or miss for me anyway.

Jessica Strawser is one of my favorite authors, and Catch You Later does everything to remind me why!
Best friends Mikki and Lark are inseparable, until one night when Mikki follow their "say yes to everything" (especially if it it gets them out of their claustrophobic small town in Ohio) rule and joins a stranger on his road trip to a resort wedding in Florida. When Mikki doesn't return, Lark is convinced something bad happened, but with no details on where in Florida Mikki was headed or who she was with, there is no trail to follow. Catch You Later is a captivating mystery that follows Miiki's story then (when she disappeared almost 8 years ago) and Lark's now. The characters are relatable and interesting, and I thought the pacing was great; I read most of the book in 1 sitting because I couldn't put it down.

Catch You Later is a powerful, emotional, and suspenseful read. Captivating from start to finish, you won't want to put this down.

The plot was expertly crafted but there was some letdown around the main twist which dropped this from a five-start to a four-star read for me. This is a slow-burn so if you're looking for a fast-paced thriller, come back to this one as you satisfy that itch.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review :))

What a book! After I was engaged in the story, I could hardly put it down.

The tale revolves around best friends Lark and Mikki and their somewhat “plain” existence working nights at a truck stop in Ohio. All changes when a stranger stops there while heading for a wedding in Florida, and he persuades Mikki to make the rest of the drive with him. Mikki never comes back, and Lark doesn’t know what happened to her. Her disappearance is a mystery for which the people around town are blaming Lark—-indeed, no one knows what to believe.

Eight years later, Lark has finally begun to put her life back together. She has a young daughter and Mikki’s grandmother lives with her, or maybe it’s the other way around? But then, the stranger who drove away with Mikki shows up again and doesn’t seem to realize she never returned. Lark, Mikki’s grandma, and Lark’s fiance’ Hank, the nicest Ohio State Trooper ever, are trying to figure out what happened and where Mikki went.

This becomes a taut game of suspense, and I was totally drawn in, trying to imagine what could have happened.

Highly recommend! 4.5 stars rounded up!

Catch You Later is a slow burn psychological thriller that’s heavily character driven. The initial premise of the book caught my attention, and I really enjoyed the quality of the writing. Unfortunately, the slow burn storytelling led to a lengthy buildup with an eventual realization that didn’t have the shocking effect I had hoped for. It was hard to stay engaged in the story and some aspects required a suspension of belief that was a little too out there (even for me!). The character development that’s woven throughout the plot is extremely strong and will appeal to those who enjoy stories that demonstrate the power of family, friends, and secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jessica Strawser has crafted a clever mystery in her latest novel Catch You Later. I kept trying to guess what happened to Mikki as I alternated between the chapters describing the events leading up to her disappearance in 2016 and the current developments in 2024. Although I correctly guessed a couple of the details, I wasn't prepared for all the twists and turns or such an emotional conclusion. It was such a great read and had a perfect title! Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for a copy to read and review.

This was a compelling story about a young woman who impulsively elopes with a stranger and mysteriously vanishes. Despite the initial slow pace, the narrative eventually became engaging and worth the wait.

3.5 stars I picked up this book thinking the premise sounded interesting and wondering where it would go. I do have to say it did take me awhile to really get into it. This follows Lark and Mikki, friends who have grown up together. One day Mikki takes a chance and gets in a car with someone and is not seen again. 8 years later that same man renters Larks job asking where Mikki is. The chapters go back and forth between the present in Larks perspective and 8 years ago with Mikki. I did get more involved about half way through and finished the last half in a few hours. Overall it was pretty good.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, I have already recommended to those that I am in a book club with, they were all anticipating waiting for this book to be published ready ro get it on the publication date. I feel privileged to have been able to read this first before release

This was an excellent thriller! I feel like it started a bit slow and I wasn’t sure if I would like it but after a few chapters it got really good!!

Lark and Mikki, the best of friends who have known each other most of their entire lives. They lived together and did everything together, they were nearly inseparable. Lark and Mikki worked at the travel stop in their town together. Mikki gets an irresistible offer one night when someone traveling through comes in for a coffee. Mikki assured Lark that she would be back soon. But that didn’t happen. Lark was left pregnant and wondering where her best friend was, and nobody seemed to know.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Strawser, and Lake Union Publishing for the eBook. This captivating read grabbed my attention from the start. I enjoyed how the chapters shifted between past and present, revealing bits of the backstory with each turn. It’s filled with unexpected twists and some emotional moments. Highly recommended!

This is a solid mystery that kept me interested. I flip flopped between characters I trusted and characters I didn't, but ultimately I enjoyed the ride.

📚: Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser
⭐️: 4/5

The gist: Mikki and Lark. Small town girls who became small town women. Working a dead end night shift job at a local gas station, when a well-to-do stranger shows up one evening. He’s heading to a wedding in Florida, doesn’t have a date, and would Mikki like to road trip with him? Every episode of Dateline says to say no in this situation, but Mikki says yes — and is never seen again.

8 years later, Lark has her daughter, a fiancé, and Mikki’s grandmother. She’s never stopped wondering and looking for her best friend. When suddenly that same stranger appears at the gas station, asking if Mikki is around. When the top suspect appears out of the blue, no one knows what to believe.

The good: This plot was gripping, suspenseful, with a cast of well-written characters. The dual POV between then and now unfolds flawlessly, with an ending that leaves every question answered.

The eh: Bit of predictability — the pieces fell into place well before the reveal.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Catch You Later is out now!

4.5 star page turner about how one sudden decision made can change everything for two best friends.

Mikki and Lark have been stuck in the small town they grew up in working the night shift together at the town’s truck stop. A good looking man on his way to Florida for his sister’s wedding stops in one night for some coffee. He invites Mikki on the long drive down with him. Mikki would love to leave. She quickly decides to go with him and leaves Lark behind at the truck stop. The story switches between that time and 8 years later. Lark is left haunted that she never sees Mikki or the unknown man again. Lark and the police have never found any sort of lead as to what happened. That is until the man just walks right into the truck stop, and the story really takes off from there. This book is captivating all the way through. I liked the alternating timelines. The author did a great job revealing things in both timelines, so she really kept me guessing. The book has many great twists and reveals throughout the story with a strong ending too. Another captivating book from this author!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Jessica Strawser, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5🌟 Lark and Mikki live and work together doing the night shift at the highway travel shop in their quiet town in Ohio. A stranger rolls into town, Mikki ends up leaving town with him heading to Florida for a long weekend. Lark is left looking after Mikki’s grandmother who lives across the street.
The story then jumps to. 8 years later and Lark’s who’s rebuilt her life after Mikki’s disappearance, told in dual POV Mikki’s part is told from her leaving town 8 years earlier.
The story premise was really interesting but I found myself struggling with the middle section of the book, Lark search for Mikki was inevitable but Mikki’s story was the one I wanted to know about.
The last 30% I was invested in, it wasn’t a jaw dropping revelation however it was a good closing to the book.
Having had a family member struggle with dementia, Nina’s part of the story was not a true portrayal of this disease in my opinion.
Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Strawser and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

Master storyteller Jessica Strawser returns following The Last Caretaker with CATCH YOU LATER —a riveting story of mystery and two best friends with big dreams in a small town.

One takes the chance and leaves town, never to return, leaving the other behind with an ongoing mystery of her whereabouts in this captivating and riveting suspense that will keep you glued to the pages into the wee hours of the morning!

About...

In Ohio, two best friends, Lark Nichols (pregnant) and Mikki Jensen, work the night shift at the highway travel stop. They both dream of escaping this miserable town and sticking together.

However, one impulsive decision changes the trajectory of their lives.

A stranger, Chris Redmond, pulls into the travel stop in a convertible BMW and is headed to Amelia Island, FL, for a wedding. Mikki leaves with him, thinking of a weekend trip and a chance to see the ocean. Saying, 'Catch you later.' (a fitting title)

However, things do not go as planned in Florida, and Mikki does not return with an ongoing mystery of her whereabouts.

The night Mikki left, Lark was worried and annoyed for her friend, but she had not dreamed she would never see her again. Then, nine months later, she was drowning in grief and exhaustion with a new infant.

In the meantime, Lark is left to care for a prickly grandmother, Nini, who is a complex and intriguing character who cannot care for herself. She also has a daughter, Dove, whom she is raising as a single parent and later engages in a relationship with a highway patrolman.

Then, eight years later, the stranger shows up and asks Lark about Mikki, opening up a search for her missing friend.

What happened to Mikki? Is she really missing, dead, or perhaps she does not want to be found? Dead or alive? Where is she, and why hasn't she been in touch with her best friend? The palpable suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth.

My thoughts...

As a massive fan of the author, having read all of her books, I found CATCH YOU LATER to be one of my favorites! From the gorgeous front cover to the perfect setup, the author cleverly draws you into the world of these two best friends.

Can you imagine working in a dead-end town, meeting so many night travelers at a travel stop, and impulsively leaving with a virtual stranger? Two lonely girls want to see the ocean and dream of a better life. The stage is set, and the mystery and intrigue follow Mikki and Lark back home.

Alternating between Lark-NOW (2024) and Mikki-THEN (2016), we see all the drama unfolding from the Florida road trip to the wedding and afterward. Readers will be dying to discover what happened to Mikki in this exciting adventure of love and loss.

Mikki is torn between leaving her best friend and having the time of her life in a once-in-a-lifetime shot with a stranger named Chris Redmond as his plus-one at his sister's wedding in Amelia Island.

How far will she go to protect the ones she loves?

Powerful, twisty, gripping!

Atmospheric and emotional, CATCH YOU LATER is cleverly told, and Strawser keeps you on the edge of your seat in this heartbreaking domestic suspense of friendship, regrets, desires, mystery, adventure, a road trip, and intrigue with thriller vibes. The atmospheric storytelling will immerse you in the characters' worlds, making their experiences feel real and intense.

Recs...

CATCH YOU LATER is for fans of the author and those who enjoy a well-written mystery—and those who enjoy books by: Mary Kubica, Heather Gudenkauf, Christina McDonald, Susan Redfearn, and Susan Walter.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 22, 2024
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I absolutely love Strawser's writing and her imagination. Catch You Later was surprising and truly a great mystery. I really had zero idea what was going on or where the story was taking me. I buckled up and went along for the ride!

The dual timeline was really well done with this novel. Lark in the present day is grappling with her best friend's disappearance. When Chris - the last person to see Mikki - suddenly reappears in Lark's life, old wounds are reopened and more questions than answers seem to crop up. Mikki's timeline focuses on eight years ago, in the days leading up to her disappearance. When she spontaneously decides to join stranger Chris on a road trip to his sister's wedding, no one can imagine that is the last they will ever see or hear from her.

Chris seemed like such a great guy. During Mikki's timeline, I felt like I was reading a romance novel and waiting for the two strangers to fall madly in love. Flash to forward and we know that doesn't happen and in fact, Mikki has all but completely disappeared and while Chris has re-emerged, no one seems to know where Mikki went or what may have happened to her. I went back and forth constantly on whether or not I could trust Chris and even as the story started unfolding in front of my eyes, I had a hard time understanding or believing what I was reading. Strawser really does weave a good mystery that keeps her readers guessing until the very last moment.

I listened to this novel on audio and thought it was well done. I do prefer when books with multiple narrators use multiple actors, but overall Mallon did a good job differentiating between Lark and Mikki. There were times when her voice was a bit sing-songy for my taste, but generally, the acting was on point and the theatrics were good without being overdone.

This was a great read and a really stellar mystery. Thank you to Lake Union and Brilliance Audio for the copy. Very highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite, Jessica Strawser. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Mikki and Lark have been best friends forever, both working at the same highway truck stop in Ohio. Everything changes when a stranger comes into the truck stop and asks Mikki to accompany him on a road trip to his sister's wedding in Florida - and she accepts, much to Lark's chagrin. Mike is supposed to come back after the weekend and never returns. Eight years later, Lark is in the same small town, trying to build a life without Mikki, when the stranger who Mikki left with suddenly appears back at the truck stop, asking for her.

I am a big fan of Jessica Strawser, and her books are always a 5-star read for me. In her latest novel, she once again gives us strong women characters, even when they are messy and flawed. Because aren’t we all? Mikki and Lark have been best friends in a small town where they dreamed of more. I loved that the bond continued even when Lark was conflicted about what happened to Mikki. The small town atmosphere felt real and claustrophobic to Lark as everyone had an opinion of her and Mikki. Told between Mikki’s POV beginning with that fateful road trip and Lark’s in the present, it was the perfect way to give the reader a look into how Mikki’s actions in the past affected Lark now. Mikki’s grandmother, Nini, was a hoot as well as being supportive. I couldn’t put this one down until I knew what happened to Mikki - highly recommended!

This book followed Mika en Lark, two friends who live together. One day Mika chooses to go with a stranger, as his date to a wedding.

I really liked this book. It was written in dual POV: you had the POV of Mika and this was in the past and you had the POV of Lark and this was written in the present.
I really had no clue of what was actually happening in the book, it wasn't predictable at all!
I recommend this book to people who like to read thrillers!

Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser was such a gripping suspenseful novel.
This story touches themes of friendship, loss, betrayal and twists that are unseeable.
The author did such a great job bringing the characters to life.
It's very well written. If you enjoy reading suspense stories, this one is for you.
This is a suspenseful read, one that had me unable to put the book down.